When the going gets tough, the tough go noshing. Or they should. And so should everyone else. Wounded feelings, jangled nerves or just the plain dauncy days of winter can melt away with any of these palate-pleasers:

Arrivederci Ristorante

3845 Fourth Ave., Hillcrest; (619) 299-6282

Cardiologists would not approve of the Gnocchi Gratinati on the lunch menu here, but who cares? Let them eat their hearts out while you feast on the wee homemade potato dumplings doing the backstroke in a heavy cream sauce topped with flecks of lightly browned parmesan cheese. Years ago, fans of this simple and sinful dish dubbed it “pillows of goodness” and the nickname is still richly deserved today.

If, after the gratinati, your gorge has not sufficiently risen, you may just as well stay and order dessert. The tiramisu — among the best in town — is made creamy and dreamy thanks to the marriage of delicate mascarpone and marsala and espresso-soaked ladyfingers.

Cafe Chloe

721 Ninth Ave., downtown; (619) 232-3242

Blue cheese in anything, on anything or remotely near anything can never be a bad thing, especially if life's rich pageant is working overtime on you. For serious comfort, look no further than chef Katie Grebow's Macaroni, Pancetta & French Blue Gratin. In the words of “Friends” alum Chandler Bing, this is some “righteous mac and cheese.”

Come On In!

1030-B Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla; (858) 551-1063

Is it wrong to make slurping yummy noises in the middle of the day in La Jolla? In public? Not if you are having a little smackeral of the light and brothy Tomato Stilton Soup here, which gets its richness and pleasant tang from a bit of the English blue. Make sure to use the accompanying crusty roll to sop up every last drop.

Luc's Bistro

12642 Poway Road, Suite 18, Poway; (858) 748-9330

Truffle oil french fries seem to be the little darling of many restaurants these days, but few can hold a candle to the spuds at Luc's. These are the gold standard. Perfumed with a splash of earthy oil and sprinkled with shaved parmesan, these extra-crispy shoestrings come in a bowl generous enough to share, but you will have a hard time doing so.

And, try as we might to live on truffle fries alone, no visit to Luc's would be complete without one of owner Monica Verpiand's Red Velvet cupcakes. Verpiand tinkered with a family recipe to make these vibrantly-hued cakelettes and the result is a mild flavor, a velveteen crumb and just the faintest baked-in crunch around the rim of the top. The generous swath of tangy-sweet cream cheese frosting makes this practically perfect in every way.

Market Restaurant and Bar

3702 Via de la Valle, Del Mar; (858) 523-0007

Life got you down, bubby? What you need is executive chef Carl Schroeder's Cabernet Braised Prime Beef Shortribs. Starting with well-marbled beef and a preparation that literally takes days to execute, Schroeder dares not remove this dish from his regularly changing menu, although he does fiddle with the accoutrement as the season dictates. High on the comfort quotient chart, this melting mound of wine-shellacked meat will make everything all right again.